Literary Terms

These terms can be found in the literature book (starting on page R102).

  1. Conflict:Struggle between opposing forces a conflict may be:
  • External: between the character and another person, society, nature, or technologyOR
  • Internal: a struggle within the character
  1. Figurative Language: The literal meaning of a word is its definition as you would find it in a dictionary. Figurative language uses words in some way other than for their literal meanings

to make a comparison, add emphasis, or say something in a fresh and creative way.

  1. Narrator: (regular and unreliable)
  • Reliable:If the narrator is reliable the reader or viewer knows that they can trust the narrator.
  • Unreliable: If the reader cannot trust the narrator then he/she is unreliable

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  1. Point of View: (1st person, 3rd person, 3rd person omniscient, 3rd person limited)
  • First-person point of view: where the narrator is a character in the story who describes things from his or her own perspective and refers to himself or herself as “I”
  • Third-person omniscient point of view: where the narrator is not one of the characters and is able to describe the experiences and thoughts of every character in the story
  • Third-person limited point of view: where the narrator is not a character in the story but the narrator can describe the experiences and thoughts of only one character in the story
  1. Mood: The feeling or atmosphere the writer creates for the reader.
  1. Theme: A story’s main message or moral.
  1. Plot: define each of the following terms: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution

The sequence of events in a story. the plot includes the opening event (what happens at the beginning/the main problem that the main character faces), the rising action (what happens to intensify the problem), the climax (when the problem reaches its most intense point and begins to be resolved), the falling action (what happens to solve the problem), and the resolution (how things end).

Plot Diagram

  1. Antagonist:The opponent or enemy of the main character/protagonist
  1. Protagonist:The main or central character of a work of literature. Usually, the main character is involved in a conflict or struggle with the antagonist.
  1. Setting: The environment in which a story takes place, including the time period, the location, and the physical characteristics of the surroundings.
  1. Imagery: Language that portrays sensory experiences, or experiences of the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Authors use imagery to describe actions, characters, objects, and ideas, and to heighten the emotional effect of their writing. One way authors create imagery is through the use of figurative language.
  1. Foreshadowing: Clues or hints about something that is going to happen later in the story. Authors use foreshadowing to build suspense and to prepare the reader for what happens later.